AHI & Columbus’ strong economy

Columbus, Miss., is the Golden Triangle’s strongest micropolitan economy in the state and one of the strongest in the U.S. Columbus ranked in the Top 10 of 576 cities evaluated nationwide by the Florida-based independent economic firm Policom Corp. Its closest in-state competitors: Oxford (17th) and Tupelo (71st); and Jackson (92nd) in a list of 381 metropolitan areas. Starkville’s ranking among national micropolitan cities dropped to 216. Twenty-three factors were used to measure economic behavior: monetary flow, growth and elements that negate growth, including wages, job availability and government welfare dependency. (Source: Columbus Dispatch 04/14/2015) Central Mississippi Note: Airbus Helicopters is among the largest employers in Columbus with some 300 workers. AHI was awarded a $220.5 million contract in February for the production of 41 UH-72A Lakota helicopters for the Army at its plant in Columbus. The work order has an estimated July 2017 completion date.